The commercial laundering of large flatwork can present troublesome problems. Typically, after laundering is completed, items such as sheets are folded into a more compact configuration. When two or more persons are available, folding can be accomplished relatively easily. The cooperation of pairs of individuals enables the process to go smoothly and quickly.
In institutional and public laundries, it is the rule rather than the exception that a plurality of employees are available to effect folding. Even when this is the case, however, much more can be accomplished if folding could be performed by one individual. If, for example, four employees are tasked with the job of folding sheets, substantially twice the output can be obtained if they were divided up into four teams, each having one person, than if they were divided into two teams, each having two persons. The problem is even further accentuated in a residential environment. Typically, only one person is available at most times to effect folding of sheets.
Various proposals have been made to provide holding accessories in order to render folding of sheets more facile. The proposals, however, are subject to numerous deficiencies and disadvantages. Probably the most recent advance in this technology is that illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,059 (Gross). That patent issued for an invention entitled LAUNDRY FOLDING ACCESSORY. The apparatus illustrated therein has a normally closed clamping jaw. The jaw is disposed for reciprocal vertical movement between an upper position, in which the clamping jaw engages a fixed jaw to hold, for example, a sheet therebetween, and a lower position, in which the clamping jaw is spaced downwardly from the fixed jaw. The clamping jaw is mechanically linked to foot manipulatable means, and downward force applied to a stirrup translates into corresponding downward movement of the clamping jaw.
When an individual is operating the Gross apparatus, the person engages his foot with the stirrup and urges the stirrup downwardly. With the clamping jaw retracted downwardly, an edge of the sheet is inserted between the jaws. With the edge of the sheet so disposed, the stirrup is released, and the clamping jaw moves upwardly under the influence of upwardly biasing force to hold the sheet between the two jaws. When the sheet has been folded sufficiently, the stirrup is again engaged in order to release the sheet. The sheet is, thereafter, withdrawn from a position between the jaws.
While the Gross device is an improvement over previous structures, it still retains shortcomings. As is apparent in the description above, foot manipulation is required not only to remove the sheet from the position between the jaws, but also to allow the jaws to be retracted relative to one another in order to enable insertion of the edge of the sheet into position so that it can be grasped by the jaws.
The inability to insert a sheet between two jaws to be grasped thereby without required foot manipulation of the grasping apparatus can dramatically slow down the folding process. The lost time can, in commercial scenarios, translate into lost revenues.
It is to these dictates and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed. It is an improved holding device which solves many of the problems existent in the prior art.